PEERS Act of 2021

II 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 2144 To clarify the eligibility for participation of peer support specialists in the furnishing of behavioral health integration services under the Medicare program. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 21, 2021 Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Mr. CASSIDY) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To clarify the eligibility for participation of peer support specialists in the furnishing of behavioral health integra- tion services under the Medicare program. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Effective 4 and Empowering Recovery Services in Medicare Act of 5 2021’’ or the ‘‘PEERS Act of 2021’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:38 Jun 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2144.IS S2144 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 2144 IS SEC. 2. CLARIFYING THE ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION 1 OF PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN THE FUR- 2 NISHING OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTEGRA- 3 TION SERVICES UNDER THE MEDICARE PRO- 4 GRAM. 5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in title XVIII of the So- 6 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) shall be con- 7 strued as prohibiting a peer support specialist (as defined 8 in subsection (b)) from participating in the furnishing of 9 behavioral health integration services under such title 10 under the supervision of a physician or other entity billing 11 for such services under such title. 12 (b) PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST DEFINED.—For pur- 13 poses of subsection (a), the term ‘‘peer support specialist’’ 14 means an individual who— 15 (1) is recovering from a mental health or sub- 16 stance use condition; and 17 (2) is certified as qualified to furnish peer sup- 18 port services under a certification process consistent 19 with the National Practice Guidelines for Peer Sup- 20 porters and inclusive of the Substance Abuse and 21 Mental Health Services Administration Core Com- 22 petencies for Peer Workers in Behavioral Health 23 Settings (as established by the State in which such 24 individual furnishes such services or under such na- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:38 Jun 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2144.IS S2144 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 2144 IS tional certification process determined appropriate 1 by the Secretary of Health and Human Services). 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 16:38 Jun 25, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S2144.IS S2144 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS